Knightmare
Coach
- Messages
- 10,716
No doubt tomorrow morning we will all wake up hearing about the "Queensland spirit" and all the usual self-indulgent cliched wankfest that comes from north of the border on the occasions that the Maroons win a game. Many people north of Tweed Heads would have you believe that Jesus could only walk on water when he put the Qld jersey on. A few things though....
* Irrespective of this years' result, this doesn't change my belief (like many others) that like the Manly-controlled ARL days, the Qld selection panel is an old boys network that needs serious changes if the Maroons want to win more than one series every 5 years.
* This year in Game 1, Qld came back from 14-0 down to nearly win the game, and afterwards we all heard the usual bleating about the "Never say die Queensland spirit". Last year in Game 1, NSW came from 19-0 down to nearly win as well, yet we heard nothing about it afterwards. Why is that?
* In Game 1 this year, Brett Finch came in as NSW halfback at the last minute with next to no preparation and went on to kick that great field goal to win the match for NSW. Again there was no talk about the team spirit in that Blues side to overcome that adversity and win. Imagine if it had been the other way around and happened to Queensland, though....
* If Queensland are so passionate and NSW have no soul, how come the Maroons have only won 5 series in the past 15 years? They haven't been able to win two series back to back since 1989.
* Queenslanders love to go on about that 1995 team which against all odds won the series 3-0 and use that as evidence that Qld have all the passion, soul and spirit. Yet the following year, Qld had a stronger team but NSW won the series 3-0 themselves. Why is that never talked about?
I should state that this is NOT a case of sour grapes. I was well aware that, sooner or later, the shield would have to change hands. My gripe is with the majority of Queenslanders who go on and on about how great and passionate Qld is compared to NSW when they win, and talk NSW people into agreeing with them, yet when NSW shows great spirit or plays a fantastic game, we hear next to nothing from the Maroon side of the border. Until this attitude changes, I will never be able to hate the Maroons but respect them. And for the sake of our game, that's a damn shame.
* Irrespective of this years' result, this doesn't change my belief (like many others) that like the Manly-controlled ARL days, the Qld selection panel is an old boys network that needs serious changes if the Maroons want to win more than one series every 5 years.
* This year in Game 1, Qld came back from 14-0 down to nearly win the game, and afterwards we all heard the usual bleating about the "Never say die Queensland spirit". Last year in Game 1, NSW came from 19-0 down to nearly win as well, yet we heard nothing about it afterwards. Why is that?
* In Game 1 this year, Brett Finch came in as NSW halfback at the last minute with next to no preparation and went on to kick that great field goal to win the match for NSW. Again there was no talk about the team spirit in that Blues side to overcome that adversity and win. Imagine if it had been the other way around and happened to Queensland, though....
* If Queensland are so passionate and NSW have no soul, how come the Maroons have only won 5 series in the past 15 years? They haven't been able to win two series back to back since 1989.
* Queenslanders love to go on about that 1995 team which against all odds won the series 3-0 and use that as evidence that Qld have all the passion, soul and spirit. Yet the following year, Qld had a stronger team but NSW won the series 3-0 themselves. Why is that never talked about?
I should state that this is NOT a case of sour grapes. I was well aware that, sooner or later, the shield would have to change hands. My gripe is with the majority of Queenslanders who go on and on about how great and passionate Qld is compared to NSW when they win, and talk NSW people into agreeing with them, yet when NSW shows great spirit or plays a fantastic game, we hear next to nothing from the Maroon side of the border. Until this attitude changes, I will never be able to hate the Maroons but respect them. And for the sake of our game, that's a damn shame.
